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HAPPY FLAG DAY from Park City, Utah, where Mitt and Ann Romney are hosting a three-day E2 Summit (“Experts and Enthusiasts”) that has brought together 300 family members, advisers and donors for a weekend of outdoor fun and indoor wonkery. The program – staged by Solamere Capital, the Boston investment firm founded by Romney oldest son, Tagg -- includes a slew of audition sessions for 2016 possibles: Sen. Rand Paul, Chairman Paul Ryan, Mike Huckbabee and New Mexico Gov. Susan Martinez held sessions yesterday. Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Rob Portman spoke this morning.

Romney says he invited Secretary Clinton, who had something else going on this week. But he did manage to lure one Democrat, former Montana governor Brian Schweitzer, an MSNBC contributor and 2016 hopeful. Schweitzer told ranching stories, called the audience “big shots,” and quipped: “I don’t have a vote in this room.” The lingering bitterness of 2012 poked through when someone shouted back: “No – the media’s here!” That got a big laugh.

Spencer Zwick, another Solamere founder who was finance chairman of both of Romney’s presidential campaigns, has helped hold the Romney donor network together since that crushing election night, and shared emcee duties with Mitt this weekend. The dream of Team Romney and many of the attendees would be to keep a big block of the Romney money machine together for 2016. But they know it’s likely to splinter, a process that has already begun.

The “enthusiasts” program: mountain biking with Rob Portman (waiting list), trap shooting with Paul Ryan, horseback riding with Mitt and Ann Romney, and hiking with Mitt, Tagg and Hank Paulson. There were also ski-lift rides and sunrise yoga. The hot-air balloon trip was canceled because of high winds.

--ROMNEY, speaking to the summit yesterday: “The world saw all this [Obama actions on the world stage] for what it was: a foreign policy of withdrawal from leadership and accommodation. … Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that some world leaders may not be happy when they read her new book. And then she said, ‘I'm looking at you, Vladimir.’ Puh-leeze! This is from the woman who was gushy with smiles as she presented a minion of Vladimir Putin with that red ‘Reset’ button. …

“The Obama-Biden-Hillary-Clinton foreign policy is a monumental bust. … [T]ragically, all we fought for in Iraq, all the 4,500 American lives lost, is on the cusp potentially of vanishing.”

--ROMNEY, in a brief gaggle with reporters, about the “Draft Romney” buzz around the resort: “I think you can make a lot of compliments to make us all feel good. … [P]eople say such generous things, but I'm not running and they know it. I'm not running. I'm not running. … The unavailable is always the most attractive. That goes in dating, as well.”

--PLAYBOOK FACTS OF LIFE: The WashPost today ran an A1 story by longtime Romney-watcher Phil Rucker, “GOP summit on new ideas has one old one: Mitt Romney.” http://goo.gl/KXF7ek The summit, though, has more the feel of a nostalgia tour and family reunion than the start of something new. Romney loves being talked about for 2016, but his inner circle knows it’s not in the cards.

During 2012, aides used to refer to “the Gov’s headspace” when they were talking about his frame of mind. Much as the advisers and donors here would love it, his headspace isn’t to run again. But he’s relishing being an elder, relevant statesman. An AP story from Thursday caught the nuance: “Romney tries to re-emerge as force in GOP politics.” http://goo.gl/9j3fmG Tomorrow on “Meet the Press,” Romney will talk live with David Gregory from Park City.

The weekend’s top takeaway is WISTFULNESS: Romney, his family, and their friends and retainers here think he should have won, wish he had won, think he would have done a good job, and feel that many of his positions have been vindicated by world events. The subliminal message: If everything blows up and there has to be a savior, WMR is tanned, rested and ready.

FIRST LOOK -- WEST WING PROMOTIONS, per the White House: “Pat Cunnane has been named Senior White House Writer. Pat previously worked as senior press assistant and writer. Pat joined the White House team in 2011 as media monitor, before being promoted to press assistant and press wrangler during the 2012 campaign.

“Jessica Allen has been named Press Assistant and Wrangler at the White House. Jessica has served as the media monitor for the last year, and prior to that was a press assistant for the Presidential Inaugural Committee and media monitor on the 2012 campaign. Pat and Jess are indispensable members of our team, and truly make this place run.”

BREAKING – “Iraqi troops dig in, bolstering Baghdad's defences,” by AFP’s Salam Faraj in Baghdad: “Soldiers armed with shovels are digging in just … 15 miles … north of Baghdad as others man new checkpoints, bolstering the Iraqi capital's defences against a militant assault. A major militant offensive launched on Monday, spearheaded by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, has overrun a large chunk of northern and north-central Iraq.

“The advance swept to within less than … 60 miles … of the capital, raising fears among residents that the city itself would be next, though militants have since been pushed back by security forces in areas farther north, making an assault on Baghdad appear less likely.”

STORY OF THE DAY – NYT A1, “News Analysis: For Obama, No Way Out,” by Peter Baker (online: “Obama Finds He Can’t Put Iraq War Behind Him”): “The possible return to Iraq, even in limited form, underscores just how much that forlorn land has shaped Mr. Obama’s presidency. … [A]s much as he wanted Iraq in the rearview mirror, the swift march toward Baghdad by Islamist extremists … has forced him to reconsider his approach. As much as he wanted to leave the fate of Iraq to the Iraqis themselves, he concluded that the United States still has a stake in avoiding the collapse of a state it occupied for more than eight years at the cost of nearly 4,500 American lives. http://goo.gl/FliIWh

--HOW IT’S PLAYING: WSJ, col. 1-5, “Thousands Heed Call to Arms in Iraq” (A1 sidebar: White House Weighs Military Options”) … Financial Times lead story, “US eyes strikes on Iraq militants” … NYT 2-col. lead, ‘IRAQ SHIITE CLERIC URGES FOLLOWERS TO FIGHT MILITANTS: Threat of Sectarian War Rises — Obama Says U.S. Will Not Send Troops” … WashPost col. 1-5, “Obama says U.S. will not send troops to Iraq: OTHER OPTIONS BEING CONSIDERED -- But president wants to see reforms by Maliki” … Chicago Tribune, cols. 1-2, “U.S. rules out ground troops in Iraq turmoil: President Barack Obama said Friday that the U.S. ‘will do our part.’”

“Alarmed by Iraq, Iran open to shared role with U.S. - Iran official,” by Reuters’ Parisa Hafezi: “Shi'te Muslim Iran is so alarmed by Sunni insurgent gains in Iraq that it may be willing to cooperate with Washington in helping Baghdad fight back, a senior Iranian official told Reuters. The idea is being discussed internally among the Islamic Republic's leadership ... For many years, Iran has been aggrieved by what it sees as U.S. efforts to marginalize it. Tehran wants to be recognized as a significant player in regional security." http://goo.gl/46K2ym

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TOP TALKER -- “Boston, LA, SFC and DC in running for 2024 Games” by AP’s Eddie Pells: “An American bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics would come from Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Washington if the U.S. Olympic Committee decides to put a city in the running. … Los Angeles hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics. Boston, San Francisco and Washington would be first-time hosts. … But there's an arduous and expensive process facing any potential bid city before the International Olympic Committee awards the Games in 2017. … The last two U.S. candidates both suffered humiliating fourth-place finishes: New York for the 2012 Olympics and Chicago for the 2016 Games that went to Rio de Janeiro.” http://goo.gl/DEyuPv

WORTH THE CLICK -- “Bergdahl Explains in Prison Letters Why He Vanished,” by The Daily Beast’s Kimberly Dozier: “Writing from a Taliban ‘prison,’ Bowe Bergdahl urged his family and his government to wait until they had all the facts before judging him for leaving his base. Then Bergdahl explained, at least in part, why he left his fellow troops in 2009. ‘Leadership was lacking, if not non-existent. The conditions were bad and looked to be getting worse for the men that where actuly (sic) the ones risking thier (sic) lives from attack,’ he writes in a letter dated March 23, 2013 ….

“It’s one of two letters sent by Bergdahl to his parents during his five years held … ‘If this letter makes it to the U.S.A., tell those involved in the investigation that there are more sides to the cittuwation (sic),’ he adds. ‘Please tell D.C. to wait for all evadince (sic) to come in.’” http://goo.gl/AnRxJL

CANTOR FALLOUT -- “Raul Labrador enters leadership race,” by Jake Sherman and Seung Min Kim: “Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador will run for House majority leader next week, giving the hard right corner of the conference their candidate. Labrador, who was elected in 2010, is a late entrant into a race that’s four days old - and the election is less than a week away. … More important than the outcome itself, Labrador’s candidacy will be a test of how conservatives perform in a leadership race. A loss would show the difficulty in knocking off a well organized candidate with a sophisticated organization.” http://goo.gl/sTiLD4

--“For Cantor, Loss of Leadership Role Means Far Fewer Perks,” by NYT’s Theodore Schleifer: “As House majority leader, Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia has enjoyed a bump in salary, a large political staff, an elegant office suite on the second floor of the Capitol and a security detail that drove him to and from his suburban Richmond home. … A consequence of … his decision to resign as the No. 2 House Republican at the end of July is that he will spend his final five months in office with the privileges of merely an ordinary congressman. … For the first time in five years, Mr. Cantor will either have to drive himself to work or assign the job to a member of his staff.” http://goo.gl/bn0Aeq

STAT DU JOUR – @BillGates “The most staggering statistic in @VaclavSmil’s new book: http://b-gat.es/1oYsC7G [is: “China used more cement in the last three years than the U.S. used in the entire 20th century.” http://goo.gl/JeEmRx

SCOOP -- “Chelsea Clinton paid $600K by NBC,” by Dylan Byers and Maggie Haberman: “Chelsea Clinton earned an annual salary of $600,000 at NBC News before switching to a month-to-month contract earlier this year, sources with knowledge of the agreement told POLITICO. Clinton, who joined NBC News as a ‘special correspondent’ in November 2011, was up for renewal or non-renewal this year. Instead, the sources said, the network decided to keep her on the payroll on a month-to-month basis so that the two parties could sever ties if Clinton’s mother, Hillary, runs for president.” http://goo.gl/GqokQm

THE PRESIDENT’S WEEK AHEAD: “On Saturday morning, the President will travel to Orange County area to attend a DNC event. This event is closed press, and the departure from Palm Springs International Airport and arrival at Los Alamitos Army Airfield are open press. In the afternoon, the President will travel to Anaheim, California to deliver the commencement address for the University of California, Irvine. … On Sunday, the President and First Lady will remain in Palm Springs, California, and have no public events scheduled. … On Monday, the President and First Lady will return to Washington, DC from Palm Springs …

“On Tuesday, President Obama will travel to TechShop Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to deliver remarks on the economy. Following this, he will travel to New York City to attend the DNC LGBT Gala and take part in another DNC Event. On Wednesday, the President will host the first ever White House Maker Faire and meet with students, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch new businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and fuel the renaissance in American manufacturing.

“On Thursday, the President will award Corporal William ‘Kyle’ Carpenter, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. On Friday, the President will meet with Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand.”

BUSINESS BURST -- “Priceline to Buy OpenTable for $2.6 Billion,” by NYT’s Michael J. De La Merced: “Under the terms of the deal, Priceline will pay $103 a share through a tender offer for OpenTable’s shares. The offer represents a 46 percent premium to Thursday’s closing price. The restaurant reservation site, which says it seats more than 15 million diners each month at 31,000 restaurants, had long been of interest, said Priceline’s chief executive, Darren Huston.” http://goo.gl/bFEqSK

SPORTS BLINK – “Donald Sterling hires investigators,” by AP’s Tami Abdollah: “Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's team of lawyers has hired four private investigation firms to dig up dirt on the NBA's former and current commissioners and its 29 other owners, said a person familiar with Sterling's legal strategy. Investigators were given a six-figure budget over the next 30 days to examine the league's finances, allegations of previous discriminatory conduct and compensation to past Commissioner David Stern and current Commissioner Adam Silver ... The person said the investigators also are looking into whether other owners made any off-color jokes, or racist or sexist remarks.” http://goo.gl/8jWpoq

BIRTHDAYS: House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer is 75 … The U.S. Army is 239 … Dan Schwerin, Hillary Clinton speechwriter and policy adviser, who is capping book-release week by celebrating tomorrow (h/ts brother Josh Schwerin and YJ Fischer) ... Danny Gaynor, Raj Shah's speechwriter at USAID. Danny will be joined by friends for a casual brunch, followed by a day of activities that includes a football toss at Meridian Park, and golf at Top Golf. His buds are below- average golfers but slightly above-average friends (h/t Daniel Goetzel) ... Sarah Chen, a Fulbright Fellow to South Korea and proud Princeton Tiger, is 23. She'll celebrate with friends and Fulbrighters at the best American buffet in Korea before she heads back to America in July (h/t Jon Rice) ... Bill Wasserman, principal at M+R (h/t Jon Haber) ... Quinn Johnson … Mary Ann Preskul … Linda Beitelspacher … Scot Ross … Dee Simpson (h/ts AP) … Donald Trump is 68 … City & State’s Jon Lentz … speed skater Eric Heiden is 56 … Boy George is 53 … Steffi Graf is 45 (h/ts AP)

DESSERT -- “Political fundraisers at D.C. restaurants,” by Byron Tau: “It’s no secret that Beltway politicians spend a lot of time raising money. And — just like Eric Cantor, mocked for spending big bucks at Bobby Van’s and BLT — they’re generally doing it in posh, upscale restaurants. … Here are 10 favorite spots of the Beltway elite. … Gratuities included.” See the restaurants: http://goo.gl/9HqHSG

THE SHOWS, from @MattMackowiak, filing from Lincoln, Neb., en route to the College World Series in Omaha:

--CNN’s “Inside Politics” with John King (SUN 8:30am ET): Roundtable with author and The Washington Post’s David Maraniss (“Barack Obama: The Story”), POLITICO’s Maggie Haberman, The New York Times’ Jonathan Martin and NPR’s Juana Summers

--CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS”: (SUN 10am ET / 1pm ET): Foreign policy discussion with Texas A&M University Bush School dean and former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and former Bush administration State Department Director of Policy Planning and Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass; Mexican Secretary of Finance and Public Credit Luis Videgaray Caso; Harvard University’s Edward Glaeser

--CNN’s “Reliable Sources”: (SUN 11am ET): Roundtable with Roll Call’s Christina Bellantoni, POLIITCO’s Jake Sherman and The New York Times’ David Leonhardt; The New York Times’ John F. Burns; Storyful executive editor David Clinch; The Daily Beast editor-in-chief and CNN political analyst John Avlon; media discussion with POLITICO’s Dylan Byers and The Washington Post’s Erik Wemple

--NPR “Weekend Edition Sunday” (SUN 8am-10am ET): Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI); former executive officer to Gen. David Petraeus Peter Mansoor; NPR political editor Charlie Mahtesian reports on “Fathers and their daughter candidates”; “The Sunday Conversation” with Fraidy Reiss, who was forced into an abusive arranged marriage and went on to found the nonprofit Unchained at Last; Dan Pashman of the Sporkful podcast; Slate podcaster and sports commentator Mike Pesca

--PBS’s “To the Contrary” with Bonnie Erbé: Re-air of special episode on “Becoming Papa,” a groundbreaking program for men in Rio De Janeiro’s favelas to stem the tide of violence and promote healthy relationships

--SiriusXM's “Polioptics” with Matt Bennett (SAT 8am ET & 6pm ET / SUN 4am ET& 5pm ET): Mo Elleithee, communications director of the Democratic National Committee, on how the two major parties brand themselves and the implications to Democrats of Eric Cantor’s loss. And Ralph Alswang, former official White House photographer for President Bill Clinton, on capturing the President’s most important and emotional moments. On SiriusXM's POTUS Ch. 124; also available for download on iTunes and at http://www.polioptics.com.

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